Qatar Airways ‘requires’ hostesses to get permission before marrying (Al Arabiya)
September 25, 2013
Qatar Airways has come under scrutiny on Wednesday after it was accused of forcing its female workers to seek permission from the company when they decide to get married.
In a report released by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) on Tuesday, the airline was found to also mandate that women tell a supervisor if they become pregnant.
The airline then reserves the right to fire them upon the discovery, according to the ITF report, alleging the violation of the basic labor rights of Qatar Airway’s 28,000 employees.
When Al Arabiya English contacted Qatar Airways on Wednesday, the airline’s Senior Corporate Communications Manager Madonna Walsh said a statement in response to the report would be released shortly. She declined to comment further.
According to the ITF, a standard hiring contract for thousands of the airline’s female workers reads: “You are required to obtain prior permission from the company, in case you wish to change your marital status and get married.
“The employee shall notify the employer in case of pregnancy from the date of her knowledge of its occurrence. The employer shall have the right to terminate the contract of employment from the date of notification of the pregnancy. Failure of employee to notify the employer or the concealment of the occurrence shall be considered a breach of contract.”
Meanwhile, trade union officials aren’t holding their breath for a ground-breaking response to the allegations from Qatar Airways.
“We would expect that the airline will try to paint a picture of their operations and say [that the allegations] are essentially not the truth,” International Trade Union Confederation general secretary Sharan Burrow told Al Arabiya English on Wednesday.
Complete article here Al Arabiya
Tags: Arab world, aviation, aviation workers, cabin crew, Equality, labour rights, Maternity Rights, Qatar, Qatar Airways, TRADE UNION RIGHTS, women